Indoor Playgrounds - Are They Safe?Well, it's that time of year again with school starting, summer is over, the weather is changing, and many of your children's activities are beginning to move indoors again. It's time for concerned parents to decide where your kids are going to be able to play safely. As it does every year, the number of children playing at the local indoor playground increases dramatically.
With this increase in activity, comes an increase in our awareness of the safety of these indoor playgrounds; are they really the safest place for our children to be playing? There is no traffic to worry about, score one for the indoor playground. But are there other areas of concern that we may be overlooking? Here are a few areas of indoor playground safety you want to look at before you allow your child to participate.
Indoor Playgrounds - Breeding Grounds for Bacteria?
One huge issue of indoor mall playground safety is the enclosed environment itself. Within any enclosed environment, there is always the problem of the accumulation of germs. Outdoor playgrounds are free from this problem due to the open environment. We assume because it is an indoor playground it is clean and safe, but the truth is, some enclosures can act as incubators for germs and they become a breeding ground for bacteria.
This does not present a problem when the indoor playground equipment is properly maintained. Make sure the indoor playground where your children play is properly maintained and thoroughly cleaned on a regular basis. Indoor mall playground safety should be held to the highest standards possible. Don't settle for anything less where your child’s safety is involved.
Indoor Playground Surfacing - Is It Safe?
Another issue you should address with indoor playgrounds is the playground surfacing, is it merely carpet over concrete, or is it properly surfaced with Poured-In-Place rubber surfacing? You may think "the climbing unit is only three foot high," but when your child stands on it, that puts the child’s head 5 feet about the floor.
You want the surface under that indoor playground equipment rubberized, not carpeted. You must insist on rubber tiles or rubber matting at the very minimum for safe indoor playground surfacing. We must also make sure the climbing units meet with current Consumer Product Safety Commission Guidelines, for indoor mall playground safety. The proper playground surfacing is a critical area of safety that cannot be overemphasized.
Supervision - Take An Active Role
Child Supervision at the indoor mall playground can be another area of concern for a parent. Parents who take an active role in supervising your children during play, will have an accident free visit to your local indoor playground. It's the perfect opportunity for spending quality time with your children.
Form friendships with the other parents at the playground and assist each other in supervising the children. By sharing the supervision duties with parents that you know and trust your playground experience will always be enjoyable. Finding the safest indoor playground for your children is easy when you follow these simple tips.
